Mrs. L. Darvarich,

Charles L. Richey,

Martin Devine &

John A. Johns

witnessed the plane and

 

Louis Darvarich

witnessed it fly.

 

Whitehead himself described the flight in NY Evening Telegram, 1901-11-19, p.10

Affidavit, Louis Darvarich, July 19, 1934

I, LOUIS DARVARICH, residing at 845 Wording Avenue, Bridgeport, Connecticut, do depose and say that I was personally associated with the late Gustave Whitehead and was associated with him during his experiments with heavier than air flying machines.

 

In approximately April or May, 1899, I was present and flew with Mr. Whitehead on the occasion when he succeeded in flying his machine, propelled by steam motor, on a flight of approximately a half mile distance, at a height of about 20 to 25 feet from the ground. This flight occurred in Pittsburgh, and the type machine used by Mr. Whitehead was a monoplane. We were unable to rise high enough to avoid a three-story building in our path and when the machine fell I was scalded severely by the steam, for I had been firing the boiler. I was obliged to spend several weeks in the hospital, and I recall the incident of the flight very clearly. Mr. Whitehead was not injured, as he had been in the front part of the machine steering it.

 

In 1902 I was present on another occasion, this time in Bridgeport, Connecticut, when Mr. Whitehead succeeded in flying his machine, propelled by motor, approximately four or five feet off the ground. The airplane used was a monoplane with folding wings, which had been constructed in the yard back of the Whitehead residence at 241 Pine Street, Bridgeport, Connecticut. The airplane was pushed into the street from the yard back of the house, and the flight took place in the street.

 

I recall also that Mr. Whitehead constructed a revolving motor of hexagon shape, but do not recall what use was made of it.

 

I worked with Mr. Whitehead almost continuously in spare time from 1899 to 1912.

 

Witness: John Krasovec                   Signed: Louis Darvarich

 

Subscribed ans sworn before me this 19 day of

July 1934

 

                                                  Julius F. Days

                                                  Notary Public

 

 

Affidavit: Martin Devine, Aug. 15, 1936

I, MARTIN DEVINE, 2123 Ward Street, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, do depose and say that I recall the late Gustave Whitehead and an airplane of his construction which I helped push upon more than one occasion for a demonstration. The plane was heavy and I do not recall being present upon the occasion of its flight but believe I arrived immediately after it crashed into a brick building, a newly constructed apartment house which I believe was on the O'Neale estate. I recall that someone was hurt and taken to a hospital, but do not recall what one. I am able to identify the inventor as Gustave Whitehead from the picture of this man showed me by Miss Stella Randolph. The plane was heated with charcoal and the place of most of the experiments was in the vicinity of the present McKee Place and Louisa Avenue. Whithead lived on Bates Street (I think about 663 or 664) with some people named Morrow, renting part of their house, I believe. As definitely as I can recall the plane was upon wheels.

 

Sworn to before me this 15 day of August 1936

 

Selina V. McNally

Notary Public

 

 

Affidavit: Charles L. Ritchey, Aug. 21, 1936

I Charles L. Ritchey, 3373 Parkview Avenue, Pittsburgh Pennsylvania do depose and say that I recall that around the year 1900 I saw and talked to a man by the name of Whitehead (or a similar name) as he demonstrated an airplane in Schenley Park, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, which he was supposed to have made. I also saw him run the engine for some time using charcoal for fuel. I did not see the plane in flight as it was anchored to the ground at the time I saw it. I do recall of reading about and hearing of this plane making a flight in which it was supposed to have gained a height of about twenty feet and then it crashed, injuring the driver. I readily recognized pictures shown me by Miss Stella Randolph as being very much like the plane and the photograph she showed me very much resembled the man who was in charge of the plane I saw in Schenley Park.

 

Charles L. Ritchey

 

Sworn to and signed before me

this 21st day of August, 1936.

 

Edith B. Leylander

Notary Public

Statement of John A. Johns

Jahn A. Johns recalled seeing the Whitehead machine at the corner of Louisa and McKee streets in Pittsburgh but never saw it fly. He recalled the engine bing heated and the aircraft being prepared for flight.

 

"Lost Flights of Gustave Whitehead", S. Randolph, 1936, p. 28

"History by Contract", W. O'Dwyer, 1968, p. 39

 

 

Statement by Mrs. L. Darvarich

"In the 1960's, Mrs. Darvarich (Louis' widow) recalled the Pittsburgh flight described by her husband and said she had sat in the craft when it made a 'taxi test'. Her descriptions identified the plane as being similar to No. 21."

 

"History by Contract", W. O'Dwyer, 1968, p. 40

 

 

 

 

 



Gustave Whitehead himself refers to Pittsburgh flight

New York Evening Telegram, Nov. 19, 1901, p.10

 

   ”This new machine will be the twentieth

I have made,“ Whitehead said as he mused

in his work to-day, and talked about the in-

vention that promises to make him famous

for all time,    „Eighteen of them were fail-
ures, through some small fault that I could

not fathom at the time, but the last one
I made rewarded my years of effort and ac-

complished what I have so long been trying

to solve.



Other Reports

Fire Dept. Capt. John Kane stated he'd heard about the Whitehead flight (from another fireman) but not seen it due to havng been transferred to No. 3 Engine House beforehand.

 

William Burns was told abut Whithead's flight by his father who had been a firman at Engine House No. 24 where the crash took place.

 

"History by Contract", W. O'Dwyer, 1968, p.39

"Before the Wrights Flew", S. Randolph, 1966, p.73

"Lost Flights of Gustave Whitehead", S. Randolph, 1934, pp. 29-30